Senate rejects fresh call to probe controversial ₦1.3bn budget allocation

By Taiwo Scholarstica

The Senate on Wednesday turned down a renewed request to investigate the controversy surrounding the purported Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, noting that the matter is already before the courts and under active investigation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The controversy has remained in the spotlight for more than two weeks following reports that the alleged agency received a ₦1.3 billion allocation in the 2026 Appropriation Act, despite firm assertions by the Presidency that no such agency exists.

The fresh request was presented by Senator Suleiman Abdulrahman Kawu, representing Kano South Senatorial District, who had previously sought a similar probe last week.

Senator Kawu urged the red chamber to investigate how the budgetary allocation was smuggled into the 2026 budget, but the request was promptly declined.

Ruling on the motion, Senate President Godswill Akpabio stated that the National Assembly could not investigate an issue that is already before a court of competent jurisdiction. He added that President Bola Tinubu has already directed the ICPC to investigate the matter within 30 days, making a separate Senate inquiry redundant at this time.

“In my view, the issue has been overtaken by events, as the culprit has been charged to court.”
“It is now sub judice to attempt to go into it again. Mr. President has already directed an investigation. If we go into it now, we will probably be jumping the gun,” Akpabio said.

Last week, Kawu maintained that the Senate has a constitutional responsibility to examine how the controversial allocation found its way into the national budget, regardless of any ongoing executive investigation.

“I commend Mr. President, but he cannot do our work. We, as the National Assembly, are supposed to conduct our own investigation. My concern is about the budget. Who came to the National Assembly to defend the agency?,” he argued.

Despite his arguments, the Senate stood its ground and rejected the request.

Following the decision, Kawu reiterated that his primary concern was to protect the integrity of the National Assembly’s appropriation process and to unravel how the ₦1.3 billion allocation was approved in the first place.

During Wednesday’s plenary, Kawu raised the matter once again under Matters of Urgent Public Importance, but his colleagues maintained their earlier position.

The controversy centers on Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, who claims to be the Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council.

Adeyemi has since been arrested by the police and is currently facing criminal charges over alleged impersonation and related offenses.